Speed-indicator.



UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

THEDOhE C.- PROUTY, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB. B' MESNE ASSIGNMENTS. T0

THE VAN SICKLEN COMPANY,

A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

SPEED-INDICATOR.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented June it. 1918.

Application filed August', 1913. Serial No. 783,068.

To all wlw/f. if may concern.'

lle it known that. I, Tin-:ononn C. PRoU'rY, a citizen of the Unitcd States, residing al Aurora. in the tonnty of Kane and State of Illinois. ha- .f invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speedlndicators, ofwhich the Yfollowing is a specification.

Thisv invention relates to speed indicators adapted to be operated by tiuid under slight or varying pressures so as to register the speed of a rotatable or any desired moving body. It relates specifically to that class 0f llChtlnis-m known as automobile speed-A ometers. all ot' which will more fully hereina fter` appearA The principal object of the invention is to provide a speed indicator of nau'h form and construction that the least number of parts may he used in the con- .struction thereof. i

A farther object of the invention is to provide a'spced indicator adapted to` be operated by air under slight, or varying pressures and with a minimum amount of air so that it is susceptible to slight changes in the pressnrc and at the same time to register the samiA steadily, faith'ully. and accurately.

The invention consists principally in the combination of a floating dial. and by that I mean, a dial that is not, Connected with or directly operated by positive actuating mechanisms. a has@ portion, and a calibratinr wall. the three parts of which are arrange to form an operating chamber in connection with a movable body arranged in said operating chamber so as to operate or control the movements of the floating dial as the air or other-fluid under pressure passes through the operating chamber,

'The invention consists further and finali in the features, combinations and details ot' construction hereinafter set` forth and claimed.

ln thc art to which this invention rela it is well known to engineers and skilled` artisans of the art who have for a long time been acquainted with the objections of the present forms and constructions of the speed indicators nr speedometers, as they are more properly. termed. that they are made up of i larg number of parts and arranged to be operated either directly mechanically or by he assistance of clcctro-magnetic mechaiisms, all of which are intiicate,nmlii11g it.

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dillicnlt. for the ordinary individual to nnderstand, operato or maintain. The problem presented to the art. has been known for a great many years and man) attempts have been made to provide a suitable speed indicating or registering device that could be operated by fluid under slight or varying pressures, but none of those mechanisms has as vet satisfied the wants or needs of the art and have not been adapted to nor adopted by the manufacturer or nserr: of the modern automobile.

Recognizing these disadvantages. I have endeavored to simplify the construction so that my device is reduced to its absolute simplicity; is capable of being operated by a very slight amount of movin air or other gaseous fluid-and will steadi y and faithfully as well as accurately, register the true ed or movements of the desired body.

I have not only had all of these objects in mind, batl have designed and constructed a mechanism which is so simple that the ordinary artisan or even the user of an automobile can take the mechanism apart for the purposes of renewal or adjustment, as occasion may require. and put the same together without experiencing any ditliculty whatever, all of which will fully appear in the accompanying description and drawings which form a part of this specification.

ln thc accompanyingdrawings- Figure 1 is a front. view of a. speedometerl or speed indicator constructed in accordance with these improvements and showing the speed indicating device at the upper portion thereof and in vertical cross section. the lower portion showing the mileage register which forms nopart of this invention and which is merelyI inserted for the purpose of illustrating to the art. how my invention may be combined or'arranged in connection with n mileage register.

Fig. 2 is a plan view looking at the de- .vice' from above and showing a portion thereof 1n cross section.

Fig. 2* is a planview showing the at tachment of the hair spring to the cup-carrying stati'.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a Heating dial with its attached mechanisms, looking at it f'rom below. p

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the Supwall and porting base with its ealibrating it from attached mechanisms looking at above.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a Complete instrument made in accordance with my improvements and suggestions.

Fig. 6 is a. side elevation thereof showing the floating dial in dotted outline and the instrument connected by means ofa tube with a suitable air pump or agitator; and

F ig. 7 is a cross sectional detail of a portion of the mechanism taken on the curved line 7--7 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In constructing a speed indicator inaccordance with my improvements I provide what I prefer to term a floating dial having a cylindrical body portion 1 bearing the necessary indicating characters a on the external surface thereof, which characters are shown particularly in the upper portion of Fig. 5. This floating dial is referably made of a very light materiala such as aluminum, and is provided with a head or cap portion 1, as shown particularl in Fig. 1, which in connection with the cy indrieal body portion, assists in forming a portion of an inclosing casing for the operating chamber 2.

I term this dial portion Jthat it practically floats, oscillates, or rotates iree from all other mechanism, that is, it is not operated by gears or electromagnetic machinery of any kind, but floats, oscillates, vibrates, or rotates simply and solely by'the action of air or a gaseous fluid under movement, all of which will more .fully hereinafter appear.

In order to complete theoperating chamber, I provide a base portion 3 having a cylindrical calibrating wall portion 4, the upper edge of which, or what I prefer to term its Calibrating edge 5, is substantially helically arranged, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, this helical arrangement being that neces sary in the embodiment shown.

It will be seen that this base portion, cylindrieal Wall and the floating dial inelose the space 2' which I have termed the operatin chamber and that the Calibrating edge of t e circular Wall of the base portion is lielicall arranged so as to .present a space above t e same and underneathv the cap of the dial of varying area, that is, presents an increasing or decreasing sectional area, as you look at and understand the operations of the completed device. This base portion is further provided with a centrally located a floating dial in hub ortion 6, and what I prefer to term a fixed abutment 7 extending from the central hub to the Calibrating wall and which separates the' inlet opening b from the exit. opening f, that 1s, the air or other gaseous fluid under pressure may enter the operating chamber through the inlet opening b,

but it. has to go around the centrally located hub and malte a complete circuit of the operating chamber before it reaches the exit chamber c. the purpose of which will more fully hereinafter appear as I describe more in detail the other mechanisms and their operations.

To support the floating dial in a balanced way, I use what l prefer to term a balancestatl' 8 and secure it to the cap ot the {loating dial between flanges or in any other desired manner. This balance-stati is constructed very much like the balance-statiI ot a watch or clock and is as usual provided with pivotal points, the lower one of which is mounted in an desired jewel, either metal or stone 9, at tie bottom of the centrally located hub, and the other or upper point in a pivotal bearing in the upper part of the cross bar 10 of the supporting frame. This cross bar or bridge, as shown particularly in Fig. 2, is substantially of 1nverted U- shape, one leg of which is attached at its bottom portion hy means of small machine screws 11 to the lower frame poi" ion l and is passed over and across the device and down with the other leg4 fastened by means of similar screws 1l to the diametrically opposite portion of the frame.

To operate or move the floating dial by air or other gaseous fluid, as it passes through the operating chamber of the instrument, a vane ortion 12 is provided and preferably in this instance is secured directl to the dial itself, that is, to the cap portion thereof and should also be made of very light material such as aluminum. This vane, as shown particularly in Fig. 1, substantially tits one radial sectional part o the operating chamber with the exception that there is a Small passage therebetween and the portions of the supporting base around which a certain amount of the air or fluid may pass. It will be further seen that directly at the left-hand end, the vane presents or forms in connection with the cylindricalcalibrating wall and the inner cylindrical surface of the floating dial a by-pass 13. It will be urther seen that as this vane is moved one wa or the other from the, position shown in ig. 1 it presents to the air or gaseous fluid a by-pass of varying size,

it moves the vane around in such a manner as to present a by-pass of gradually increasing or cross sectional area; but when the speed of the moving body of gaseous or other` fluid decreases the vane is moved back by means hereinafter described and presents or uncovers a bypass in a varying or de- 1pm-rei a creasing ero-s sectional area, so that a lessor amount of huid may pass around through the ily-pass.

To yieldingly hold the. dial willi its vanidesired operating position. as well as to 5.1i normal or ,zero position. a hair spring H is provided` the outer end of which is attached at iti to an adjznlable arm 15 mounted on the supporting cross-bar 10, while the. inner end is preferably, attached to a collet or Collar 16 mounted on the upper end of the balance-stati, all of which is so arranged that any desired tension may be placed upon the li .ir spring by moving the adjustable arm in one direction or-,the other, thus regulating the sensitiveness of the dial with its attached vane. f

The operating chamber, or the inlet opening thereof, may be connected with a desired air pump or agitator 17 by means of a flexible tube 18. This air pump or agitator may be so arranged as to be operated directly by the rotation of an rotatable or moving part of the automobili; or other device the movements of which it is desired to 1ndicate in any manner thought desirable by the user.

It will be understood by those skilled in the arty after a careful reading of the foregoing specification and an examination of the drawings, that the device is susceptible to the very slightest movement of gaseous fluid, particularly atmos heric air, and that the passage of the same t ierethrough may be controlled in any desired manner, that is, the Calibrating edge 5 of the circular wall 4 may be cut away in any desired mannerso as to obtain a variety of registrations, and further *in theV case oerror on test it may be cut away to correct irregularities or errors in a` very easy and simple manner.

I have shown this instrument, as already stated, in Figs. l, 2, 5 and 6 in connection with the complete instrument in which there is a mileage register, the numerals 19 and 20 indicating season and trip mileage, all put in one inc-losing casing 21, but this milea e register does not form, as 1 have alrea y stated, any part or portion of this invention. It: is merely shown herein to teachylhose skilled in the art how the two devic' may be assembled in one complete organized instrument.

In operationthe device is set in any desired position and connected with an air pump or any other fluid agitator by means of one or two tubes, as may be desired, one et' which she'ild preferably bc connected with the inlet opening b of the operating i ha uber. During the operations ofjthe ma chine, which in turn operates the agitator,

in return i? to 'an' is t'urnisiied the operating chamber ancl fixed abutment to pass inrough, coming in con `ble vane. The passing of is compelled by the iiierrarouiul or (in rft with the .urn

the :iii mnh-r slight or raming pres-:uref: nimes the vane tu the des'red posit ion so that the -urplu 1 will pass around the mue and through the by pass, meeting the other quan tity oi' air and emerging through the exil opening, 'llnhair spring presents a yielding resist ant-e to the mori-nient ot' the dial beyond a certain predetermined point. according to the amount` of Huid that if: passing through the operating chamber, and the user in lool ing at the instrument, as shown in Fig. 4, sees the ligure as presented through the. sight opening in the external casing and theieby is informed of the speed at which the body is moving. A reduction in the speed reduces the quantity of air supplied to the operating chamberand the hair spring compels the dial to begin a retrograde move,- ment and show a reduced figure on the dial. Any increase in speed supplies a greater quantity of air which inn'iinging againsty the movable vane forces it around against the yielding resistance of the haii spi ing so as to present a higher number on the periphery of the dial, all of which those skilled in the art will fully understand.

I claim:

1. In a fluid actuated speed indicator or similar instrument,- the. combination of a casing providing an operating chamber and having an inlet` and an outlet in connection therewith, said outlet being calibrated to afford exact indication of different speeds, an actuatable member pivotally mounted and arranged to be 'operated by the Huid as'it. passes through the operating chamber, indicatln means coacting with said actuatable mem er, and means for yieldingly holding said actuatable member and its indicating device in operative position, said means operating to return it to its normal or zero position.

2. In a fluid actuated speed indicator or similar instrument, the combination of a. casing providing an operating chamber having inlet and outlet openings and a by-pass varying in cross sectional area, a vane pivotally mounted in said casing and trans- Vcrsely of said operating chamber so as to oscillate therein and coact with said lay-,pass to utilize cross sectional areas thereof varying for different s'ieeds, indicating means associated with sai vane, and a spring for vieldingly holding said v ane with said indicating means in position and operating to return it to its'normal or zero position when not 1n operation.

3. In a fluid actuated speed indicator or similar instrument, the combination of a.

y casing providing an operating chamber having inlet and outlet openings and provided with a by-pass et' varying cross sectional area, a stall' pivotally mounted in said casing and carrving an indicating device and also vprovided Witha vane secured thereto and oscillatingly movably held in the operating chamber, so as to coact with seid lay-pass to present a cross sectional area thereof 'varying for different speeds, and retarding devices for said indicating staff'.

4. In a fluid actuated speed indicator or similar instrument, the combination of a casing providing an operating chamber having inlet and outlet openings and provided with a by-pass of varying cross sectional area, a stati' pivotally mounted in said casing and carrying an indicating device and also provided with a vane secured thereto and oscillatingly movably held in the operaing chamber so as to uncover and cover said by-pass to present a cross Sectional area thereof varying for different speeds, and a spirally coiled hair spring having one end secured to said indicating staff' and the other end to a non-movable portion of said device.

5. In a fluid actuated speed indicator or similar instrument, the combination of a casing providing a substantialily cirfular operating chamber and a by-pass of varying cross sectional area and an abutting separating wall transversely arranged in said operat- 'fg chamber and forming vthe end Wall of Said chamber when the device is in assembled position, said indicatorbeing provided with inlet and outlet openings communicatng with said chamber` one arranged on each side' of said abutting separating wall, a sta-ff pivotally mounted in said casing and carrying an indicatingimeans and a vane. said vane being oscillatingly movably held in Said operating chamber between thc inlet and outlPIL openings thereof so as to uncover or cover the said by-pass and present Cross sectional areas thereot' varying for different speeds, and a hair spring secured at one end to said opera-ting stati' and having its other end fixed so as to yieldingly hold said indieating stall against movement and serving to return the same to normal or rest position.

6. In a speedometer, the combination of a pump, ailuid actuated speed indicator having a fluid conducting chamber reeeiving fluid from said pump, pivoted valve mechanism operatively associated with said fluid conducting chamber` and arranged to be actuated by the fluid pumped through said chamber, and means presenting an increasing resistance to said valve as it moves in one direction, said chamber having a port, the effective area of which in cross cating characters thereon. a balance staff car-` rying said dial and pivotally mounted, a member forming with said dial a casing having an operatlng chamber with an 1nlet opening through which fluid is passed` l said operating chamber being provided with n` C-.ilibrating member having a Calibrating edge portion forming in conjunction with said casing a by-pass of varying cross sectional area, a vane movably mounted in said operating chamber for operating said floating dial and arranged to be operated by the fluid passing through the chamber so as to coact with the Calibrating edge portion of said Calibrating member to present a bypass of cross sectional arca varying for different positions of said vane.

8. In a device of the class described, a fixed member and a movable dial. said member and dial forming an operating chamber, a sleeve projecting from said fixed member, a bridge, a stati1 carried by said dial :ind having one end pivot-.illy mounted in said bridge. the other end being pivotally mounted in said sleeve,

9. 1n an instrument of the class described, the combination of a rotatable indicating dial having a peripheral wall. a fixed member, said fixed member and dial forming a chamber, a vane associated with said dial, said chamber being provided with an inlet and an outlet. a wall carried by said fixed member and located adjacent said peripheral wall of said dial when in assembled relation. said wall being provided with a calibrafing edge poi-tion arranged to coact with said dial wall and said vane to provide a bypass of cross' sectional area variable for varying positions of `said vane whereby fluid supplied to said chamber will actuate said vane in accord wi i the speed of the device whose speed is to be indicated, said varia-ble by-pass being operative to determine the movement from rest or zero position of said dial in the desired ratio to the speed of the device whose speed is to-be recorded.

In testimony whereof I have subscribed my name.

Tlll( )ll )RE C. PROUTY.

liVitnesses Tiioims FRAN( is 'Fiiieaniaiv7 HENRY A. PARKS. 

